In search of a quick and easy
lunch or picnic side that doesn’t compromise on flavor? Welcome to the party! This bright, savory pasta salad will fill you up without weighing you down. Juicy marinated artichokes, briny Castelvetrano olives, and creamy cannellini beans dance with crisp arugula and crunchy pistachios in a zingy lemon vinaigrette to create the ultimate summer side. No mayo, no problem!
We love that you can modify this dish with what you have on hand. No cooked chicken in the fridge? Use salmon or sliced turkey breast torn into pieces, or leave it out altogether for a vegetarian spin. Switch up your choice of olive and nut, and if you’re out of arugula, baby spinach works beautifully. While mint and chives are our favorite herbs to complement artichokes, basil or parsley taste fantastic too. Just keep in mind that a short twisted noodle is optimal for catching all that tangy vinaigrette, so don’t swap spaghetti for the fusilli. It’s also worth grabbing marinated artichokes rather than their canned-in-water counterparts; the spices and oil go a long way for the artichokes’ flavor and texture.
Italian grannies beware: We break a few classic pasta cooking rules in the name of excellent pasta salad. We boil our pasta until just beyond al dente and then give it a good rinse in cool water—these steps keep the pasta from being hard and sticky when cold. This dish will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, but is best eaten on day 1 or 2, before the tender greens and herbs wilt.
Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!